Tour de France operator risks losing the Paris Marathon

It's not unusual for a marathon to change operators, but it's rare for a race like the Paris Marathon to end up in court.

New consortium operator Cadence andAmaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which has steered the race since 1998,recentlyhave been contestingthe operating rightsfor the operation of the Paris Marathon and half marathon from 2027 to 2030.

On May 20, 2026, the Paris City Council voted to award the newconsortium operatorCadence the operating rights for the next four years, leaving veteran operator ASO facing exclusion.

ASO, as a major European event operator — which runs one of the world's oldest cycling races, the Tour de France, and dozens of major sporting events — has now "lost the favour of the Paris municipal government." ASO expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision and has appealed to the Paris Administrative Court, seeking to overturn the contract.

Amaury Sport Organisation's home-field crisis

Under ASO's management, the 2026 Paris Marathon set records: 58,853 full-marathon runners and 50,000 half-marathon runners participated. However, this did not become leverage for ASO's contract renewal.

In the new round of bidding launched by the Paris municipal government, ASO lost out to the Cadence consortium (composed of Keneo, OSE, and Havas Event), and the Paris City Council leaned toward choosing Cadence.

On June 25, ASO challenged the bidding process at a court hearing,focusing on the "fairness of the rules" and "financial rationality."：

Compliance with the rules:ASO pointed out that new rules appeared in the scoring criteria and that the financial scoring lacked transparency;

Financial gap:ASO's commitmentbrings €4 million in direct revenue to the City of Paris each year, €500,000 higher than Cadence's bid;

Pricing strategy:ASO says itsregistration-fee scheme offers better value for money.

However, the City of Paris responded that the flaw in the tender documents was only a "minor typo" and does not affect the overall outcome.Choosing Cadence was based on its "overall financial sustainability" and the comprehensive updates it can bring to the event.

Cadence's confidence

Facing criticism, Cadence took an equally hardline stance in court,criticizing ASO's mindset of privatizing the event's IP, in a tone that essentially says, "Sir, times have changed.", at the same time, Cadence is confident in its ownconsortium's strength as well:

OSE: operator of the hugely popular Paris Eco Trail, with extensive experience delivering local events;

Havas Event：Participated in operations for the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, possessing the capacity to coordinate and operate world-class sporting events;

Keneo: provides specialized technical expertise in sports event management.

The template concepts Cadence cites are also highly representative,and they hope to draw on the successful model of the New York Marathon, introducing new ideas in brand communication, logistics support, and participant experience.

Battle between the incumbent and the newcomer — who will come out on top?

Both sides stick to their versions; the court has ordered an in-depth review of the confidential bid analysis report submitted by the City of Paris, the pretrial deadline has been postponed to June 29, and a final ruling is expected in early July.

This ruling could become a landmark event for the international road-running industry. IfASO wins, it would demonstrate the established giant still has strong capacity to push back and shape the rules.

If Cadence takes over, that would mean future global race IPs are likely to undergo major changes, andit would also be a strong signal of breaking monopolies and pursuing innovative operating models.

Who do you think will come out on top in this bidding battle over the race?

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Written and edited by: Paoye / Cavendish

Image source: Pao Ye Da Baozha

Visuals: Max